The Trading House

Arriving to the pub by a horse drawn old-fashioned omnibus was something of an experience. That’s legit what happened when I was invited to the Blogger Preview evening of new drinking hole, The Trading House slap bang in the middle of the City. Priding itself on a teeming gin menu, expertly blended cocktails, craft beers and a bloody good menu too, if the preview evening was anything to go by, this place is going to be a FAVE.

It was a buff evening.

We arrived at St Pauls station to find THIS BEAUTY waiting to pick us up. Uber what sorry?!

After cooing over the stallions and top hatted driver, we clambered aboard and were served star anise and strawberry bellinis and bottles of cold Peroni, as we started to trundle through the streets of EC2, waving at pinstriped chaps who were spilling out of the nearby pubs, loosening their ties and sipping pints.

Once we arrived we were let loose to explore the bar. It’s HUGE. Massive high ceilings, old fashioned lighting fixtures providing a soft glowy haze, and wood paneled walls- it felt like stepping into a bank of days gone by. But like, a bank that serves gin cocktails.

Making our way over to the huge central bar, a SUPER EASY ON THE EYE bartender asked what we’d like to drink and whipped up a couple of gin cocktails for Katy and me, before taking us through the gin menu. It’s IMPRESSIVE. Handsome as hell and knows his shit about gin…it’s a shame I didn’t get his number really isn’t it?

Before long, we gathered around the bar for a cocktail making class. I stepped up to blend a gin based beauty (which I thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink was a Pear and Cardamon Crush- but I’d had a couple of drinks by then. Don’t judge me.) and got thoroughly over-excited about the whole thing. Surrounded by cool, successful blogger types, and then there’s me shrieking and losing my shit at the bar. OF COURSE.

just having a lol

gin goblin

Gurning ‘ell

After all the cocktail excitement, I needed to CALM DOWN so we snuggled down for a munch on one of the excellent deli boards. Breads and meats and cheeses and homemade scotch eggs and all that good stuff. After this had been hoovered up by a hoard of hungry bloggers, we slipped through to the cosy back parlour for a beer tasting masterclass from The New World Trading Company, sampling the range of goods that’ll be on sale once The Trading House opens its doors.

And I have to tell you. I was like the Hermione Granger of beer. Having been to Bierschenke, The Fullers Brewery Tour, Craft Beer Rising, local beer festivals and having a Father who is passionate about real beer, I KNOW SOME STUFF ABOUT BEER. I felt SOOOOO SMUG as I was able to answer all the questions about beer and have detailed conversations about whether Brewdog have sold out or not and the branding of beer to appeal to the growing female market. God I must have been well annoying to be on a table with. HAHAHAHA TEN POINTS TO BRENNANDOR.

After sampling everything from stout to weissbier, we stumbled out into the night, waving farewell to new found blogger pals, pushing aside the worry about sore heads in the morning.

The Trading House is now open, and as well as all the cocktails, ales and food on offer, there’s also live music, masterclasses and other events a-happening. For more info, visit the website here. AND THEN INVITE ME LET’S GO NOW!